The underlying causes of snoring are different for each person. For many individuals, the root problem has to do with the tongue. Whether you have a large tongue, weak tongue muscles or you sleep on your back – there are a number of reasons why the tongue may interfere with nighttime breathing.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is typically the first treatment option employed for patients dealing with a chronic snoring problem – it may also be the first treatment option prescribed if you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Due to CPAP’s non-invasive nature and ability to keep the airway open at night when used as directed, this makes sense. However, CPAP is not for everybody. Many patients are unable to get comfortable with the mask on their face and complain about additional side effects that may include dry mouth and skin irritation.
If you are a non-compliant CPAP user with a snoring problem that’s primarily caused by obstruction from the tongue, you may be relieved to hear that there’s another way to treat snoring without CPAP. In this blog, Dr. Carmine Morreale, dental sleep specialist at Boston Center for Oral Health, will provide an overview of how oral appliance therapy works and why it may be a good option for patients looking to treat snoring without CPAP.